Five points by Parks and a 3-pointer by Ceola highlighted the 12 consecutive points Western Illinois used to pull away. Illinois-Chicago trailed by just two points before going scoreless in a stretch of 6:24 in which it went 0 for 5 from the floor with two turnovers.

A free throw by Parks made the score 48-34 with 9:49 remaining, and the Flames got no closer than nine the rest of the way.